NZ to retain core members of ODI squad

New Zealand cricket team received a boost for the next year's World Cup, with the management deciding to retain 12 of their squad members from the ODI squad for 2 T20I matches against West Indies. Kyle Mills and Kane Williamson were laterdropped from the 14-man ODI squad for the 2 T20I matches against the visitors at Auckland and Wellington after being initially named in the T20I squad. New Zealand are now left with only 12 players to select from for the final ODI.This will help the team to stay together and gel well for the mega tournament which will be held in Australia and New Zealand in 2015.

"We are keen to keep this group together but are mindful of the strong performances from a number of other players. We are fortunate to be in a position to have a range of quality players to choose from," the national selection manager Bruce Edgar said.

New Zealand are leading 2-1 in the 5-match ODI series at the moment after an impressive batting display, which included the fastest ODI hundred by Corey Anderson. The 23-year-old Anderson, blasted a ton off just 36 balls in the rain curtailed 21 overs a side match to post a mammoth 283. Guptill starred with a fine 81 in the 4th ODI, which was also affected by rain. The victories were cemented with a core nucleus of players all combining to produce when it was required.

The New Zealand batting line-up is ultra aggressive with Jesse Ryder and Martin Guptill opening, while Kane Williamson's patient approach will allow the side to build their innings around him before Ross Taylor, captain Brendon McCullum and Anderson take over in the middle order.

Swing bowler Mills provides the anchor role to restrict the scoring in the opening power-play, while left-arm quick Mitchell McLenaghan's job is to take wickets, even if his economy rate is more than 5.6 runs an over. Nathan McCullum, who is also an accomplished lower-order aggressive batsman, is the first-choice spinner while Williamson, and now Ryder, will provide valuable back-up options when New Zealand co-host the World Cup in early 2015.

Anderson appears to have the all-rounder role as his to lose, while Jimmy Neesham and Colin Munro are likely to contest the backup position in the World Cup squad. The only questions appear to be whether Test wicket-keeper BJ Watling will get a run in the limited-overs side with Luke Ronchi looking to establish himself and should the raw pace of Adam Milne be given more opportunity to develop.

Former captain Daniel Vettori could also come back into contention, should he decide to continue his international career after his Twenty20 commitments in Australia conclude.

"We've got a good side at the moment and a strong base of players - even the guys who aren't playing at the moment know their role when they come into the side and that makes it a lot easier, there's a lot of talented guys sitting on the sidelines. That's always healthy - if you're not performing, then someone will come in and have a crack. I think we're all pushing each other and it's a good culture; we're all happy when someone succeeds. "We've got India around the corner, so if we can dominate against the West Indies and then put in a really good performance against India then that's a massive step towards the World Cup," Anderson told reporters in Hamilton ahead of the fifth one-day match at Seddon Park.